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Cooking on the cheap shouldn't mean minute rice and buttered pasta every night. With a little creativity and a little planning, Gabriella Paiella shows us how to make the most of a tight budget -- without sacrificing flavor or variety.

Today: Salads, for even the most reluctant of you.

In the interest of full disclosure, salads aren't my favorite food. They don't even rank in the top 20, 15 of which are just varieties of cheese. But I've grown to view them as better than a necessary evil: They come together quickly, don't require a stove or oven, and often serve to clear your fridge of produce that might be turning.

If you're cooking on a budget, or exceptionally lazy, they make for excellent lunches and light dinners. Here's how to embrace them, without feeling like you're eating rabbit food:

2. Learn how to pack one effectively so you're still interested come lunchtime.

How many times have you packed a salad, then opened it come lunchtime to find it so sad and wilted that you ended up buying chips or a sandwich instead? (Be honest.) Put it all in a jar, for better lunching.

Comments (1)

When I first told my husband we should be taking salads for lunches, he was reluctant, to say the least. His main concern was definitely that he'd still be hungry, which is completely valid. However, we've managed to find out combinations that work well for us. One of our favorites is a mix of homemade hummus, roasted vegetables, quinoa, and whatever else we have on hand (http://girlnamedallyn.wordpress...). So good, full of flavor, and perfectly satisfying for both of us.